Redemption
by FairyTailxoLove
Summary: Redemption. It's the best feeling in the word. It pulls you out of that sick, twisted world you live in & makes you feel stronger, needed...like someone important. She is my redemption. My 1st fanfic. GaLe!R&R! Eventual fluff. For GaLe lovers everywhere.


**AN: This is my first Fairy Tail fanfiction, so please go easy on me! Reviews are appreciated, flames aren't (And constructive criticism is valued above all!)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL! Hiro Mashima is a GOD and no mere mortal can make a better story than him. :) **

**Enjoy!**

In the town of Magnolia, there laid a boisterous guild by the name of Fairy Tail.

On this particular day, it was not as rowdy as it would have been on a normal day; many of the mages whom occupy this guild had left to complete jobs, in return for money.

Gajeel Redfox leaned back on the chair, his posture and actions radiating utter, annoying cockiness.

"Who the hell does he think he is, joining Fairy Tail?"

His eyes lazily slide to his left, resting on the source of the comment; the orange haired twit, clad in what would be the world's worst outfit.

Gajeel snorts. "I'm not here to get all chummy with you weaklings. This is the _last_ guild that I would consider joining."

_Stupid Fairy Tail. Stupid Makarov. Stupid Salamander. Stupid wimp talking to me while I'm eating._

Gajeel gnawed on a long, flat piece of scrap metal irritably.

"But it's the _only_ guild you could join. You're lucky that Master's so considerate. If it wasn't for him, you would be nowhere. You're a worthless, unlikable piece of scum."

The Guild quieted down; something that would rarely happen. Gajeel's eye twitched. So, the Speedy found his tongue, eh? Speedy wasn't so cocky when he, Gajeel, had beat the living crap outta him, tied him to a tree—

"Jet, that's enough." A stern, yet soft voice rang out.

Gajeel fought the urge to laugh. The short, puny little girl placed a wimpy hand on top of her side kick's hand, and stared him down. Speedy visibly calmed down and smiled down at the shrimp.

"Sorry, Levy", he crooned. Gajeel couldn't hold it back any longer. He let out a loud, incredulous laugh. It just looked so pathetic! The sight of those idiots, drooling after the blue haired shrimp; he let out a darkly amused chuckle. She looked at him at that moment, _directly_ at him.

_Hmm_.

He stared back at her unashamedly, which made her duck her head and redden at the visual contact.

_Blue, wavy hair._

_Brown eyes._

_A solid script mage._

_Incredibly short, and weak._

Gajeel briefly searched his memory, completing his observation of her; something he always did, friend or foe…though mostly foe.

_Soft skin; bruises easily._

He thought back with a grimace, recalling the memory of attacking her. He remembered how his sadistic side relished her pain, her gasps at being thrown to the ground, the hammering of her hear as he chillingly, slowly, spread his fingers over her bruised, bleeding body to paint the Phantom Lord's mark on her flat stomach.

Gajeel was abruptly brought back to the present as he heard the trio get up.

"It's time to kick some butt!" Speedy grinned, cracking his knuckles while the plant dude headed over to the request board. The shrimp cheered along with Speedy, as Gajeel watched with a displeased scowl on his face.

_Her? On a job? I could probably push her over with one finger! What an idiot, going on a job_.

Staring intensely at her small size, Gajeel's eyes dropped down and landed on the shrimp's rather _not_ shrimp-y backside. He looked on impassively until a not too subtle cough made him jerk his eyes to the noise.

Mirajane stood across the bar from him, smiling pleasantly. However, Gajeel didn't buy it for a second. He knew there was something suspiciously sinister about the Fairy Tail beauty…and it unnerved him.

"Gajeel-san, the master would like to talk to you."

"'Bout what?" He asked gruffly.

A flash of worry passed through the barmaid's eyes.

"Something about a job? Master specially requested you."

Gajeel grunted, and got up. With one last bored look at the bluenette, he followed Mirajane out of the room.

"Yay! A job!" Levy McGarden cheered, her trademark smile lighting up her face. The blue haired mage looked back at her nakama, a puzzled frown on her face. They seemed much more subdued as they trailed down the streets of Magnolia behind her.

"You guys? What's wrong?" she asked, slowing down her pace.

"Did you notice?" Droy asked with a troubled expression on his face.

Levy tilted her head to the side and furrowed her eyebrows, a small wrinkle appearing on her forehead.

"Notice what?"

"Gajeel Redfox was _looking_ at you."

Levy looked on thoughtfully, remembering how Jet and Gajeel were provoking each other. How he looked straight at her, those crimson eyes dark and troubled. Levy had felt shaken and unsettled…it was as if he could read her thoughts on how she still woke up screaming in the dead of the night, nightmares of –ridiculously- trees and metallic weapons…it was as if he knew how terrified she really was of him.

"Yeah…" she said distantly. "He looked at me when I spoke up, to calm Jet down."

"Not just then…" Droy muttered.

"Hmm?"

"He was staring at you ass, Levy! As it was some…some piece of meat, as if it was a prize he was planning on winning! That guy's seriously messed up!" Jet ranted, oblivious to Levy's growing humiliation.

"Eh?" She exclaimed in disbelief, her face rapidly turning bright. She blinked, trying to think of something to say to that, but what _can_ you sat to that?

Levy tucked a wild stray of hair into her headband, and looked back at her friends.

"Let's just do this job, kay guys?"

They grumbled, but resumed walking, flanking either side of her, like normal.

_Why am I so…flustered?_

Levy bit down on her lip. Many other notably famous women of Fairy Tail were used to this type of attention…

But Levy?

Sweet, short, small breasted, blue haired, fair, bookworm Levy?

She immediately dismissed the idea, but the pestering image of the Iron Dragon Slayer stayed in her mind.

As Team Shadowgear went off on their job, Master Makarov finished his talk with Gajeel.

"It's a very dangerous job…but I think you would be…_suitable _for it."

Gajeel grunted. Damn right he was suitable. He had nothing to lose. No one would care if he got hurt, or died. He frowned at that…perhaps Juvia?

But no, she's found her place with these foreign mages, leaving his to grudgingly refuse to join these wimps.

_Pfft_, like they would accept him in the first place.

"I got it. This job will be a piece of cake. Gihi." Mustering up cockiness, Gajeel cracked his knuckles, his neck, and walked out the door.

Master Makarov frowned at his new found brat.

_He seemed so…empty. There's no life in his eyes at all._

"God knows he needs something to bring life back into those eyes." Makarov sighed, glancing at the door.

**Yay! Chapter one is DONE! :)**

**Please Review, and tell me what you think! I'm not going to get straight to the GaLe fluff; it has to take some time! But I assure you, there WILL be GaLe fluff! And also, I'm trying to keep them in character, as much as possible. Whether we like it or not, we can't expect Gajeel to proclaim his undying love for Levy, sweep her off her feet, and kiss her passionately, all through seeing her for the first time. Although, I wouldn't mind having something like that in the manga, as unrealistic as it seems. xD**

**But aside from that, I hope you all enjoyed this; please make sure to leave your review!**


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